Couch-bed



1. FREEMAN;

CoucH BED.

APPLICATION FILED MAY14, i919.

Patented June 14A, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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QM ,A @ad UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN FREEMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG-NOR TO SAVE-AROOM FURNITURE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK,- N. Y.,

DELAWARE.

A CORPORATION 0F COUCH-BED.

T 0 all lwhom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN FREEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at 2 East 18lst street, New York city, in the county of Bronx, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couch-Beds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to couch beds, and particularly to those of simple and effective construction, readily and easily convertible from day couches to night beds, and vice versa.

IIeretofore it was customary to unfold the body of the couch, either lengthwise or transversely. While these arrangements provided for converting a chair'to -a bed of greater length, or a couch to a bed of greater width, the construction is comparatively expensive in lts mechanical features and upholstery, and the change involves considerable .physical effort. Furthermore, the construction does not lend itself well to such comfortable and sightly furniture in both uses, and is usually not well adapted for sanitary storage of the bedding within.

In accordance with one part of my invention, the couch bed has a base and areversible body adapted to be seated on the base with either of its sides, that is, the couch side or bed side, uppermost. Between the base and the body is a moving 'fulcrum, preferably consisting of supporting members carried by the body at its respective ends. The base and body are joined by a verticallymovable pivot connection or connections, preferably consisting of pivots carried by the body at its respective ends and a plurality of links connected to each of the n ivots and the base.A The reversal of the body on the base may be performed by the operator with a. minimum of physical effort and without noise or shock by reason ofthe inclusion in the couch bed of an instrumentality for *assisting in the elevation of the vertically- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 14 1921. Application filed May 14, 1919.

Serial No. 297,056.

mentality may consist of a spring or springs, preferably connected between the base and the links.

Irrespective of the moving fulcrum between the base and body, and whether or not the pivot connection between the base and body is vertically movable, the reversible body may carry pivots at its respective ends and the couch bed may have a plurality of links connected to each of the pivots and the base, and springs connected between the base and the links so as to tend to raise the body from the base and oppose its fall to the base as the body is turned on its pivots for links which are journaled on pivot pins ex-v tending centrally from the ends of the body and pivoted to bell crank levers which in turn are pivoted to the base. The springs connect the ends of the bell crank levers through tensioning means with the base and are under stress when the body is seated on the base with either side uppermost, so that the springs assist in raising the body and partly counterbalance the body in falling. Also, the ends of the body have supporting members with rounded ends, which roll and slide to and from a seated position on the base, thereby further easing the converting opei'ation and rendering the structure more durable and secure by providing a moving fulcrum between the body and base.

The inventionv further comprehends as another of its parts a reversible couch bed having a base, a reversible body adapted to be seated on the base with either side uppermost and connect-ing means pivoted to the base and to the end walls of the body. The pivotal points of the body may be vertically shiftable into an elevated position on the raising of the body while parts of the opposite ends of the body are always in engagement with and guided by the base during the raising movement of the body preparatory to the reversal thereof. In order to insure the proper seating of the body on the.

base after reversal, under the severest conditions of usage, the connecting means is constructed and arranged to limit the vertical movement'of the pivotal points of the body lduring the reversal thereof. Moreover, the pivotal points of the body may, by reason of the construction and arrangement of the connecting means, be displaced laterally of the base either forwardly or rearwardly, when the body is disposed at an angle to, and parts of its opposite ends are ineng'agement with the base, to render any part of the interior of the base accessible from above for the removal of the bedding or other articles stored therein. Notwithstanding, lateral movement of the` pivotal points is precluded by the connecting means when the body is seated on the base so that displacement of the body when in use with either side uppermost cannot occur. The connecting means may comprise a pair of links, preferably two pairs of similarly formed links, one pair at each side of the median line of the base, the pivotal connection of the link, or' one link of each pair with the base, being closer to the median .line of the base at all times than is the pivotal connection between the links. Furthermore, means may be included in this construction which is effective to assist in the elevating of the pivotal connectingl means in a vertical direction thereby to assist in the raising of the body from the base and opposing its fall thereto. Such means may consist of a spring connected to the link that is pivot-ally connected to the base, or a pair of oppositely acting springs one connected to each link that is pivotally connected to the base.

Vhether or not the mechanism includes means for assisting in the raising of the body from the base and opposing its fall thereto, but preferably including a pair of oppositely acting springs, one connected to each link y that is' pivotally 'connected to the base, the reversible body may be adapted to be seated on the base with either side upper;- most and is reversible by drawing it upwardly Vfirst to an inclined' position and then to a perpendicular position. rEhe pivotal points of the body are elevated upon raising Vthe. body into an inclined position and further elevated upon raising the body into a perpendicular position and lowered upon lowering the body, the connecting means being constructed and arranged to limit the vertical movement of the pivotal points vof the body during its reversing movement. In this construction the connecting means may comprise a pair of links, preferably two pairs of similarly formed links, one at each end of the median line of the base, the pivotal connection of the links, or of one'otl each pair, with the basev being closer to the median line of the base at all times than is the pivot-al connection between-the links. 1n the specific embodiment described hereinafter theV pivotal points of the body are in alinement with the median line of the base. y

l/Vhether the couch bed is made in accordance with one or the other of the parts of my invention as described in the foregoing, one side of the body may be upholstered in conformity with the outside parts of the couch bed so as to form an attractive piece of furnitureV for day use, whereas, the other side is covered like a mattress and may have the bedding attached to it, the springs serving-both sides, and the'l base supporting the reversible body in either position.

inasmuch as' the body does not move longitudinally in its reversing movement, the heads may be Xed to the frame, and since the body may revolve about a median line Von the pivot pins, the couchbed may havea reversing mechanism; Fig.' Gis Van enlarged Y detail of the pawlr and ratchet mechanism for the heads; Fig. 7 is a front view thereof; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the device as a day couch. Y Y

|The base of the couch bed Yconsists of an open rectangularframe of'wood having-'longitudinal stringere 1, crosspieces 2, cross braces 3, and feet' 4, one or both stringere being 'aperturedforventilation as at 5.

The body consists of an open rectangular frame of wood comprisingthelongitudinal stringers 6 and crosspieces 7 and braces 8, the body being of less length than the base vbut of substantially the rsame width. Fastened on each'crosspiecef? is a supporting member 9 having rounded ends at l0 adapted to roll and slide on the crosspieces 2 as the body is moved from and to its seated position on the base, thereby forming between the base and body` moving fulcrums which slide forwardly as the body rises and rearwardly as the body falls. The interconnected mattress springs 11 are fastened to the body in any suitable way and form the cushion for both the top and bottom thereof. l

The pivot pins 12 extend through'the supporting members 9 about centrally'iof the ends of the body. vThe links 13 are journaled on the' pivot pins and are pivot-ally connected at their other ends to the bell crank levers 14 which are pivoted at 15 to the cross-pieces 2 of the-base. The springs ,ing from a stressed condition when the bod 16' are connected between the other ends of the bell crank levers 'and the' threaded tensioning rods 17, which pass through the angle irons 18 on the base and are provided Y with nuts 19 for adjusting the normal ltenraised by hand. Thelink mechanism at the 'two endsguides thepivot pins -12 in a vertical direction without Vlongitudinal displacement relatively to the base, `and vpartiallv 20 supports the body asl it rises and falls. Thve springs 16 assist in raising the body by passis seated, to an unstressed condition 'when Vthe body istat its raised position. As lth'e body is4 being raised toits uppermost posivvtion, as'shown best in Fig. 5,*it is turned by the operator in either direction of rotation tol bring the other side to the top, thebody being turned easily about its median line passing through its centrally arranged pivot pins 12. As the body falls the link mechanism collapses and the springs 16 check the fall in becoming extended. As a result of those springs, and the combined rolling and sliding motion of the rounded ends of the supporting members on the crosspieces, the body seats itself securely without appreciable noise or shock. It will be observed that the vertical movement of the pivot points 12 is limited by the link mechanism to insure the proper seating of the body even though operated so vigorously in reversing as to cause the supporting members 9 to become disengaged from the crosspieces 2.

Under such conditions, the link mechanism operates to arrest the vertical movement of the body and to constrain the reversal of the body about its median line and its proper seating after rengagement of the supporting members 9 with the crosspieces 2 under the action of gravity.

The couch has two heads consisting of the curved arms 22 and the cross members 23. Each head is pivotally connected to the base by hinges 24, and the stringers are provided with notches at 25 to accommodate the heads in various positions. At each end of the couch, there is a ratchet 26 fastened to the base. Each head carries a pawl 27 pivotally connected to it and carrying a connecting chain 28 extending to a handle 29 outside the upholstery on the head. The yoke 30 is pivoted to the ratchet and closely embraces the pawl 27, the arrangement being such that the yoke forces the pawl into the uppermost tooth of the ratchet when the head falls to its lowermostl position. The pin 31-on the ratchet prevents the pawl from falling too low when the head is fully raised. As a result of the fact that the yoke closely embraces the pawl, substantial lateral movement thereof is prevented, so that both the pawl and the ratchet may be made of comparatively thin metal without likelihood of Vlateral disengagement.

Either head may be raised or lowered after' disengaging itspawl from the ratchet,

'the body preventing the head from moving inwardly beyond a predetermined position, and the yokes 30 preventing the heads from falling below a predetermined osition.

The upper side of the body 1s upholstered in conformity with the remaining parts of the couch bed, Whereas the under side of the bed is covered with ticking and may carry the bedding which, when the couch y bed is made up as a couch, occupies the ventilated Space within. the base. It will be V'observed from Fig. 8 that the upholstery permits the unimpeded raising and lowering movements of the heads, and provides l:toria Vfinishedappearance to the couch by havingthe upholstery of the heads extend slightlyoyei` the upholstery of the body. In

this construction, the heads should be lowered to a convenient sleeping position before the body is raised for reversal.

The mechanism for raising and lowering the heads of the couch forms the subject matter of a divisional application, Serial No. 318,483, filed August 19, 1919.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a couch bed, a base, a reversible body adapted to be seated on the base with either side uppermost, double-ended supporting members carried by the body at its respective ends to form moving fulcrums and vertically-movable pivot connections between the base and the body, and springs assisting in the elevation of the verticallymovable pivot connections during the movement of the fulcrums in one direction and opposing the fall of the vertically-movable pivot connections during the movement of the fulcrums in the other direction as the body is turned for reversing.

2. In a couch bed, a base, a reversible body adapted to be seated on the base with either side uppermost, supporting members carried by the body at its respective ends and having rounded ends to roll and slide on the base, vertically-movable pivot connections between the base and the body, and springs assisting in the elevation of the vertically-movable pivot connections during the rolling and sliding movement of said rounded ends in one direction and opposing the fall of the vertically-movable pivot connections during the rolling and sliding movement of said rounded ends in the other Ydirection as thebody is turned for reversing.

3. In a couchy bed, a base, a 'reversible Y body `adapted to be vs ea'ted'on the base with either side uppermost, a double-ended moving-.ulcrum between the base and the body, pivots carried Qby the body at its respective ends, a plurality oflinks connected to each of the pivots and the base, and springscon- .nected between the -base and the links so as to tend to raise the bodyv from the base during the movement of the iulcrumV in one Y direction and t0 oppose the fall of the body to the base during the movement of the Vfulcruni inthe'oth'er direction as'the vbody is turned for reversing.Y v y 4L In a couch bed, a base, a reversible body adapted to be seated on the base witheither ,side uppermost, a double-ended moving ul- Y crum between the base and the body, pivots carried bythe body at its respective ends,

levers pivoted on the base, links connecting the levers with said pivots, andrvsprings connected between the base and the levers,

vinsieme 5. In, a v,couch ,bed7` a base, a reversible body adapted to be seated On'the base with eith'erfs'ide uppermost, supporting members carried by thef'body and' having rounded lends toi roll and'l slide on the base, pivots-car- `ried bythe body at its respective ends, bell crank levers pivoted on' the base, linksconnecting the levers Awith said pivots, and springs connected between the base and the leversso as to tend to raise the body from :the base during the rolling and sliding movement of said rounded ends in .one direction andl oppose the fall ofthe body to the baseduring the rolling 'and' sliding movementfoff said rounded" ends in the 'other i direction asthe body isturned for reversing.

6. In a. couch bed, al base, a reversible body fada ted to be seated on'` the base with veither si e uppermost, adouble ended u'lcrum and pivots carried by the body at its Y respective ends,a pair ofcoperatingbell crank leverspivoted on each end 'of the base, links connecting the levers lwith said pivots,

and u springs connectedV between the-"base and levers so as toitendY to raise" the body y from the baseV and .oppose its fall to thebase j -as'thebody isturned on'its pivots for reversing.

l In testimony whereof I 'axmy signature.

u, LJOHN FREEMAN. 

